Catholics, Pentecostals... help me please?

Question

I was born and christened a Catholic but when I was 8, my parents converted to be Pentecostals. I could never get into some of the stuff but I do understand some of the teachings. As I got older and see how my whole family interupret things, I'm not sure if I should go to a church that I'm not comfortable with.

I do read the Bible and do believe in God but it's just very tough. In the past couple of years, I became more interested on going back to the Catholic faith but if I let my family know, they will have a heart attack and say every bad thing about Catholics and their beliefs. Too make matters worse, I'm in love with a guy who is Catholic. What if he and I get married? I don't think my family would be accepting to that. Help!

And please, mature replies... no bashing about the other's religon. I already deal with that at home.

I am turning 25 this year. Though my father isn't as hardcore as in the past, my brother and grandmother are the ones who are the most judgemental when it comes to Catholics.

I'm also been open minded when it comes to religions (even if they are completely different like the Jewish, Muslim, and Buddist faiths)

To the last poster, I've been thinking about it long before my boyfriend came into the picture. It just intensfied in the last couple of years.

Plus there was one issue when I was a teenager that made me questioned the Pentecostals. I talked about it with the pastor and suddenly people at the church including my pastor looked at me with disgust, which really hurt me because all I asked was to help me redeem myself and instead I was judged for a simple lack of judgement.

As for how my boyfriend feels if I stayed, he would love me no matter what religion I practice. His sister left the Church and is a Pagan and he doesn't judge her.

Answer 1

You sound like a mature person.

There are a number of reasons why people come and go from different faiths, if they were once Catholic, it is hard to imagine that they would be that against Catholics. But I guess that would be determined by why they left.

I think your family will be more understanding than you may think, especially if they really like the guy. I was a Protestant and married a Catholic girl and my parents survived. I am now also Catholic, but it took 20 years for me to decide to change. I should have done it much sooner!

Seek for yourself, you should respect your parents beliefs, but you cannot live just for them.

Peace and God Bless you!

Answer 2

My dear, I don't mean to be "judgmental" as some would call it, but it is difficult for me to understand why you would choose to leave the freedom of Pentecost for the more ritualistic and unbiblical teaching of the Catholic Church. Please don't judge Pentecost by some of the people - not everyone is like that. You get any group of people together and you are going to have those that are unkind, or have not matured yet and everything in-between. That is the nature of people. What I would ask you, is what your experience with God is - have you received the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues? Has Christ changed in the freedom of worship you have found through Pentecost? Maybe instead of going back to formalism and unbiblical teaching how about just trying a different Pentecostal Church? What does the Lord say to you about the direction to go? I would say to you, go forward, not back.
And I am not "bashing" Catholics - it is just a fact that their teachings are not Biblical.

Answer 3

my great-grandfather came from Ireland and he was Catholic. through a miracle healing of his 7 year old blind daughter in a Pentecostal church service, he converted. Our family is now going on 6 generations Pentecostal. So there is something to say about the staying power of true faith and belief. But being Pentecostal is not enough, it is what you do with your faith that matters. So you want to become Catholic, well that is your choice. It is your own soul salvation that you need to work out with God. But if you are leaving because of minute points of doctrine, then you have not really been listening. Pentecostals believe in being born again first of all. then we believe in the indwelling of the Holy Ghost to lead and to guide daily into holiness. Without holiness, no one will see the Lord.
I do have a question about this boyfriend. Are you seriously questioning your faith because your feelings for him are shaking it? I'm not saying you don't have a right to question your faith. I'm just wondering if your desire to be with him has painted your view of faith in a different light. How does this guy feel about Pentecostals? If you decide to stay in your faith, will he accept you anyway?
This is something you need to discuss if you guys are talking about marriage. Even if you convert back to Catholicism, your family will still be there. I just don't want you to rush back to Catholicism for the wrong reasons.
If you truly want to get back into Catholicism, pray about it and do what you feel like you gotta do. You must work out your own salvation with God. I'm just saying, make sure you're making this decision for the right reasons.

Answer 4

This is something that is going to require a lot of prayer. Have you tried an Episcopal Church? They have much of the same liturgy as the Catholic church but as they are not catholic your family may be more comfortable with that. As the fellow you're in love with if he would consider going to an Episcopal Church. For your marriage to have the least amount of problems, you want to have the same faith. I was raised pentecostal and my parents ended up going to a Nazarene church and are comfortable with that. (I'm now back in the pentecostal church...that's where I belong.) You'll know the right church because it will feel like you have come home. You may want to try a Nazarene church too. It's very similar to the pentecostal church without the speaking in tongues.

Answer 5

Catholics pray to saints and angels and Mary. The Bible is very clear about this. Jesus taught us to pray "Our Father" John 17 Jesus prayed "Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son"..etc. John 16:23 Jesus says "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you". John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. This tells me that although Mary was a chosen woman, Jesus saved her too, by his death. She does deserve respect not praise. We don't have to ask the dead to pray for us, we can go right to Jesus.

Catholics also baptize infants. John the baptist said repent and be baptized. Paul said believe and be baptized. We believe in a believers baptism. Jesus said "let the children come to me" He did not say let the babies come to me. We are to believe with the faith of a child. Infants don't have that ability.

Now many Pentecostals speak in tongues. I am not going to say it is wrong, but it should be done in an orderly fashion. If a service is going on and people just start speaking gibberish and no one knows what they are saying, it doesn't edify the Church and therefore it is wrong. There should always be an interpreter present, if there is not then again it is wrong.

They also have healings and female preachers. What happens if the healing services they perform in the Church don't work?? How would they explain that? Only God can heal. There is nothing wrong with praying to God to heal someone, if it is Gods will, He will heal them. But maybe God has other plans for them. Maybe to bring them home, to paradise.

The Bible says that women are only to teach the other women and young in the church or else remain quiet. 1 Cor 14:34 1 Tim 3:1-5; 1 Tim 2:12,13; 1 Tim 5:22.

The Bible says no to be unequally yoked. Not because He doesn't want you to be in love with someone. But because it causes problems. It never brings you closer to Him (God), only further away. God loves you and wants to keep you close to Him. A good book for you to read about Catholics with out bashing is "The Woman rides the beast" it explains Catholic doctrine.

As you can see I am not a Catholic, nor am I a Pentecostal. But I am a believer in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Maybe you would be more comfortable with a Church like Charles Stanleys. He is on the radio and web site Intouch.org.

Blessings.

Answer 6

First of all Mercedes, technically your family are still Catholics albeit lapsed ones which means that they could if they wished come back to the church, You did not mention what age you are and this is important, because your parents have authority over you and this will cause friction over this issue.
Having said this, if you are determined to return to the Catholic church make sure that you do it because you know that it is right for and not just because your boyfriend is Catholic, you cannot play around with your spiritual life just to make a statement.
If you return to your Catholic faith then be fearless and do it because it`s what you want and because no one has the right to dictate your choice, this is your God given right, finally I strongly advise you to see your local Catholic parish Priest and ask for his advice.
I will meanwhile be praying for you in this matter, God bless.

Answer 7

Well this is a hard question.Maybe you can try out a different religion.something your family knows little about and can relate little to and this could lessen their disgust towards any other religions.As long as you believe in God and you read the bible you should be fine.My mom is a Seventh Day Adventist and i love going to church with her.People their are really friendly and dont try to overwhelm you with all their beliefs but rather it is up to you if you want them to tell you more about their beliefs.They arent jugdemental either but note also that every church has its deffects and we are all human.Good luck deciding what is best for you!!

Answer 8

You are an adult and are entitled to make your own decisions and occasionally your own mistakes.

I think you have to be true to yourself and follow where the Lord is leading you.

The same goes for a possible marriage.

If your family loves you then they will accept your choice.

I know a couple of people who are interested in learning more about the Catholic Church but are hesitant because they think that their families would not approve. It is very sad.

I wish I had better advice.

With love and prayers in Christ.

Answer 9

Your parents are probably going to blame your future husband for this anyway, so you might just as well get it over with. and get on with your life.

Get married first, either in your Penrtecostal church or a Catholic church.

Then, go back to being a Catholic, have your marriage blessed by the church if necesssary, and live happily ever after with your new husband.

Yoiur parents may or may not get over it, but you have your own life to live.

Answer 10

Part of the present potential problem comes from many 'Christian' denominations (not just Pentecostals annd Catholics) in the USA believing the old testament is Genesis-Malachi, not the law of Moses. (Test; can the law of Moses exists before Moses was born? i.e.Genesis).
Man is as a false god (Gen. 3:5-6). Perhaps that is also part of hte problem. I,E, one witness (one man;self?) is 'every man, for himself', anarchy, chaos, etc).
Jesus told his people to have 2 or more witnesses (Matt. 18:16, 2 Cor. 13:1), in effect, he also gave us freedom. Which one is choosen (anarchy or freedom) presently is up to each of us.
May you receive a large pleasant surprise today to God's glory!!!